Cameron denies snubbing Hollande as Whitehall looks to build bridges

The Prime Minister has made little secret of his support for the conservative incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy, who looks likely to be defeated in the run-off with Mr Hollande on 6 May. The Socialist presidential candidate met Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, when he visited London last month, but Mr Cameron refused to meet him.

By contrast, Mr Cameron praised Mr Sarkozy's "leadership and courage" during a visit to Paris in February and wished him well in his re-election bid.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said the recent decision not to meet him was not a snub.

The Foreign Office is now attempting to forge links with Mr Hollande's team.

Enter URL:

Sport

Boycott on Pietersen: 'Irresponsible. I could see it coming. He got out twice like that in Brisbane.'

'No bottle': Boycott blasts England's batsmen after latest Ashes collapse

Ashes 2013-14

Voices

Three life-lessons from our best-loved fictional elephants

elephant appeal

Sport

Moyes powerless as United suffer back-to-back home losses

sportManchester United 0 Newcastle 1: Cabaye strike gives Newcastle their first win at Old Trafford since 1972

Arts & Entertainment

The Fender Stratocaster played by Dylan at the Newport Folk Festival has become the most expensive guitar sold at auction

The world's most expensive guitar

MusicHistoric axe sells for nearly a million dollars - but whose is it?

Life & Style

Apple employees walk towards the Apple Headquarters in Cupertino, California

The Apple founder who missed out on a fortune

techRon Wayne was the 'third man in the room' with Jobs and Wozniak

Arts & Entertainment

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman star in Sherlock series three

Sherlock and Watson drop some clues on what's in store for their return

Sport

Detail of 'Christmas Truce in the Trenches : Friend and Foe Join in a Hare Hunt' by Gilbert Holliday, drawn from a description by an eye witness rifleman

Remembering the 'Christmas Truce' match

FootballPremier League to build pitch at Ypres to commemorate historic game during First World War

Voices

Fancy owning an original Damien Hirst?

elephant appealOne very special artwork up for grabs in The Independent's charity auction

Arts & Entertainment

Noel Gallagher targets Miley Cyrus, Robin Thicke and Lady Gaga in rant over modern music

Music

Arts & Entertainment

Elton John performing in New York - he interrupted a performance in Moscow to condemn Russia's anti-gay laws as inhumane

Elton John speaks out

MusicMusician condemns Russia's anti-gay laws during Moscow concert

Voices

From LSD to a public hanging... three cruel and unusual elephant deaths

elephant appeal

Arts & Entertainment

Silver foxes: Alan Yentob and Peter Capaldi

Grace Dent on TV

TVWho’s afraid of Machiavelli?

News

'There's a story I tell, which probably sounds like I am making it up, but it is 100 per cent true'

The world's unluckiest (or luckiest) man?

Mark Weingard survived 9/11, Bali and the 2004 tsunami

Most Viewed
Most Commented
Most Shared

Independent Dating

Show Me

Between: and

Location:

By clicking 'Search' you
are agreeing to our
Terms of Use.

Royalties Audit - Top Tier Firm

£34999 - £43001 per annum + Benefits: Pro-Recruitment Group: A Top 10 firm in ...

C++ Software Engineer - Guildford - Low Latency Trading Systems

£40000 - £60000 per annum + Benefits + Bonus: Harrington Starr: C++ Software E...

Java Integration Engineer - Fixed Income Trading Systems

£45000 - £65000 per annum + Bonus + 28 days holiday: Harrington Starr: Java In...

Java Software Engineer - Fixed Income Financial Trading Systems

£40000 - £65000 per annum + Bonus + 28 days holiday: Harrington Starr: Senior ...

Saluting Britain's intrepid female aviators

A British woman is currently winging her way from South Africa to the UK in a Thirties-style biplane. But she isn't the first 'aviatrix' to take on such a challenge...

Rough trade: Is the world's biggest diamond market about to crumble?

Is Antwerp's diamond market about to crumble?

Antwerp's position as the world's diamond capital is being challenged by emerging markets in Israel, Dubai, India and Botswana – and three high-profile European heists have netted $188m (£110m) this year

He survived 9/11, Bali and the 2004 tsunami, so is Mark Weingard the world's unluckiest (or luckiest) man?

Is Mark Weingard the world's unluckiest man?

On the morning of 9/11, Weingard was late for a meeting in the South Tower of the World Trade Centre. A year later, his fiancée was killed in the Bali bombings. Then, he spent Christmas 2004 on a Thai beach as the tsunami swept in

Can group therapy cure domestic violence?

A pioneering group therapy project in Hull is helping the perpetrators of domestic abuse to change their violent ways

Keep it on ice: Mark Hix reveals his delicious freezer essentials

Keep it on ice: Mark Hix's freezer essentials

Great ingredients such as prawns, globe artichokes and tomato sauce can all be kept in your freezer, ready to be deployed at the drop of a hat for a delicious tasting dish

Ron Wayne

The Apple founder who missed out on a fortune

Back in the ring: King of Eighties excess Christian Lacroix has once again succumbed to the fashion world (kind of)

Back in the ring: Christian Lacroix

The King of Eighties excess has once again succumbed to the fashion world (kind of)

Sherlock series 3

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman provide teasers for the biggest comeback in British television

The hip of the desert

Africa Express returns

The day we left Hitler behind

Survivors of the Kindertransport tell their stories

Scientists sequence oldest human DNA from fossilised leg bone found in Spain

European was more closely related to a much earlier species of human living in Siberia about 700,000 years ago than to the later Neanderthals of Europe

Nigella Lawson admits taking cocaine twice but says claims she was an addict are 'ridiculous'

What made Charles Saatchi grab my throat, by Nigella Lawson

I've taken cocaine at two times in my life - but I've never been an addict, she tells court

Lee Rigby murder trial: Fusilier’s widow walks out as court is shown video tirade by defendant Michael Adebolajo

Lee Rigby murder trial shown video tirade by defendant

‘May Allah forgive me if I acted in a way that is displeasing to Him’

Leeds manhunt: Police make arrest after female officer shot

Police make arrest after female officer shot in Leeds

The officer's injuries are serious but non life threatening, police said

Cameron denies snubbing Hollande as Whitehall looks to build bridges

Nigel Morris

SPONSORED FEATURES

Independent Dating

iJobs General

Day In a Page

Saluting Britain's intrepid female aviators

Is Antwerp's diamond market about to crumble?

Is Mark Weingard the world's unluckiest man?

Can group therapy cure domestic violence?

Keep it on ice: Mark Hix's freezer essentials

Ron Wayne

Back in the ring: Christian Lacroix

Sherlock series 3

The hip of the desert

The day we left Hitler behind

Scientists sequence oldest human DNA from fossilised leg bone found in Spain

What made Charles Saatchi grab my throat, by Nigella Lawson

Lee Rigby murder trial shown video tirade by defendant

Police make arrest after female officer shot in Leeds